The Alma Mater Society (AMS) is the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) student society, and works to improve the academic, social and personal lives of the 56,000 UBC students at its Vancouver campus. The AMS also runs nine food and beverage outlets, a catering and conference operation, and the AMS Student Nest, providing on-campus employment opportunities and generating revenue that goes directly back into supporting the students at UBC.
Position title: Peer Support Assistant Coordinator, Education and Outreach
Department: Student Services
Supervisor: Senior Manager, Student Services
Employee status: Term, Appointed
Hours Per Week: 15
Salary / Wage: $22.46 per hour
Anticipated Start Date: As soon as possible
End Date: April 30, 2027
Description
The AMS Services’ main mandate is to offer services and resources to the membership which are in significant demand and aim to further the well-being of the membership as a whole.
Each of these Services are run by a Coordinator, and in some instances, with the help of Assistant Coordinator(s).
Each of the Assistant Coordinators will be overseen on a daily basis by the Senior Manager, Student Services, a full-time, permanent, non-student role as well as their Services Coordinator, a part-time student role.
The AMS Peer Support Assistant Coordinator, Education and Outreach manages the Education and Outreach branch of the AMS Peer Support service. AMS Peer Support is a volunteer-based service providing peer support, resources, and crisis referrals to all registered students at UBC, as well as low barrier harm reduction services founded on the ideals of creating an inclusive environment for all students who face issues around substance use patterns and need support. In this position, you will use your experience in harm reduction to support the UBC community with resources and education. The ideal candidate will have experience with workshop/event facilitation, stakeholder management, and leading volunteers. Past experience volunteering with the Peer Support service is an asset.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Develop and execute community events focused on mental health and well-being
- Manage requests from clients for training, workshops, harm reduction supplies, safer sex supplies, etc.
- Creation and implementation of the education, marketing and community outreach for AMS Peer Support.
- Stay up-to-date on campus trends to ensure that the Service provides relevant programing.
- Deliver and organize Naloxone training events
- Oversee the Safer Parties program by working with key campus stakeholders
- Coordinate outreach efforts (boothing, announcements, etc.) to maintain Peer Support’s presence and educate the campus community about Peer Support’s programming/services
- Oversee workshop/training development as necessary
- Keep Peer Support website updated with current education & outreach events
- Send monthly naloxone distribution reports from AMS Peer Support satellite site to BCCDC
- Ensure an adequate supply of naloxone kits, training materials, and fentanyl test strips is maintained at Peer Support, including regularly check expiring kits and re-ordering low supplies.
- Ensure Harm Reduction education materials are up-to-date, recovery-informed, and non-judgmental
- Assist in hiring of Volunteers and Team Leaders, including contributing to an extensive hiring campaign
- Assist in organizing, planning, and attending Volunteer Training events
- Schedule Volunteer shifts and team meetings as needed
- Facilitate outreach and internal project meetings
- Participate in regular meetings with the AMS Peer Support Coordinator, the AMS Peer Support team, (Education and Outreach Team Leads and Volunteers), AMS Services meetings, and the Student Services Manager.
- Plan and lead volunteer appreciation events
- Establish positive working relationships with Volunteers, Team Leaders, Peer Support Coordinator, other Service Coordinators, and community members and committees
- Other tasks as required by the service or delegated by the Coordinator
Qualifications:
- Must be a currently registered UBC Student
- Knowledge of community building strategies
- Knowledge of, and previous training in, providing support in areas such as suicide, sexual assault, coping mechanisms, stress, depression, relationship concerns and other issues
- General knowledge of current landscape of UBC Student Services
- Previous knowledge of the AMS Services / AMS operational guidelines is an asset
- Experience in counseling and/or peer support is an asset
- Familiarity with harm reduction as a public health philosophy
- Comfortable speaking to groups and facilitating difficult discussions.
- Conflict resolutions skills are an asset
- Connections with on and off campus services related to but not exclusive to counseling, health, and wellness
- Ability to work both collaboratively and independently
- Able to administrate projects and delegate tasks in a responsible and productive manner
- Approachable, friendly, organized, responsible and resourceful
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
AMS Services will provide necessary external training for successful candidates who have not already taken these trainings. This may include Applied Suicide Intervention Support Training (ASIST), and Train the Trainer (Naloxone Training program from Toward the Heart).
Eligibility: Must be a currently enrolled student at UBC Vancouver, eligible for the Work Learn program.
Experience Level: Current Students in an Undergraduate Program, Current Students in a Masters Program, Current Students in a PhD Program
To Apply:
Please submit your resume and cover letter. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a cover letter that explains their interest in the role and how their previous experience makes them a good candidate.
Application deadline: 11:59pm September 21, 2026.
At the AMS, we believe that a diverse workforce enriches our organization and we value individual life experiences, knowledge and self-expression that different people bring. We actively seek to create an environment where all employees, regardless of their background, race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, or any other characteristics, feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their best. We warmly welcome and encourage individuals from any underrepresented group to apply for this position. We are dedicated to maintaining fair and inclusive practices in our hiring, promotion, and professional development processes to create the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.
Due to the large volume of resumes we receive at the AMS, we are only able to contact those we are interested in interviewing and cannot reply to email/phone/walk-in inquiries regarding application status.
